You Could be Blessed in Your Pit

Let's take a few minutes to read and then think about the story of Joseph where his brothers throw him into a pit.

Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!" But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, "Let us not kill him." And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him"—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened. (Gen 37:20-27)

Hardship #1- Joseph's brothers want him dead and intend to kill him.

Blessing #1 for Joseph- Joseph's older brother Reuben saves his life. Most of his brothers want to kill him and throw him into the pit, but his oldest brother Reuben talks them into just throwing him into a pit in the wilderness where Joseph would die of natural causes due to no water. (Reuben was planning on coming back for Joseph when the others weren't around and rescuing him.)

Hardship #2- Judah, probably wanting to save Joseph's life at this point, talks them into selling Joseph to an Ishmaelite caravan. Unfortunately, this will foil Reuben's plan to rescue him, and put him on the road to Egypt where he will be sold as a slave.

Blessing #2- God is going to raise up Joseph to second in command of all Egypt and position him to save the lives of many people. (Genesis 50:20).

From inside that pit, it didn't look like things were going very well for Joseph, and things certainly didn't look very hopeful. Yet the very fact that he was ALIVE in the pit was a great blessing.

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. (Psa 40:1-4)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.